IA: Foehammers V1.1

[MajorWesJanson]

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F

ounded during the 13th (Dark) Founding, the Foehammers are one of the relatively few Chapters raised with a nearly complete set of records. Originating from Iron Hands gene stock, the chapter recruitment and initial training was led by Firedrake Tu'Scart of the Salamanders chapter, who instilled into the first members the values of human life and craftsmanship. Iron Hands geneseed was used, mainly for the reason that the chapter was being founded to relieve a Forge world; the Iron Hands chapter and sucessors tended to have the best relations with the Mechanicus. When the chapter was certified as operational, Tu'Scart crafted a pair of mighty thunder hammers, Foehammer and Doombringer, gifting them to Brody, the first Chapter Master, who returned the honor by naming the chapter after the first of the two hammers and the chapter's first battlebarge after the second.

Wardhaven

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T

he first task issued to the Foehammers upon their creation was the one for which they were raised. Contact had recently been made with Westinghouse, a Forgeworld in the Groombridge system thought lost since the Heresy. Ordinarily, an Explorator task force would be sent to make contact, but the world was inside the fringes of the Maelstrom, isolated in a small bubble of calm within the storms. Despite ongoing raids by Chaotic entities, the system had long held fast, but reaching it would prove difficult. Thus a Marine Chapter was assigned to make contact with the world and reintegrate it into the Imperium. A three year crusade saw the Foehammers reach the system and clear the outer reaches of heretics and scum. Unfortunately, the warp storms in the region flared up again, and the task force was trapped. Faced with limited supplies on the vessels they traveled in, The Archmagos of Westinghouse suggested that the Chapter and fleet land on Wardhaven and set up there for the duration.

Wardhaven was once a lush jungle planet before it was struck by a massive asteroid (some believe one meant for Westinghouse, which had resisted the Warmaster's forces during the Heresy). The world cracked, with the massive crater spawning thousands of miles of canyons and valleys which exposed the molten mantle to the surface. The atmosphere darkened, and the world, already at the edge of the habitable zone of the system, froze over. The hardy jungles which had covered the globe died off, except those near the new volcanic rifts, which provided nutrients and vital warmth. Since then, the Mechanicus had taken advantage of the easy access to the molten core of Wardhaven and mined it for minerals essential to running the forges. Small settlements sprung up in leftover mining tunnels. It was there that the Foehammers initially called home, beneath the surface of the frozen wastes. As the warp storms continued to cut the system off from the outside galaxy, the short term stay turned into a a more permanent one. Fifty years since they first landed on the surface, the Chapter began work on a Keep, built into the rim of the Grand Crater. The human members of the relief force integrated into the mining settlements, which soon began to resemble proper cities, miniature hives built into the rock. Since then, the population has grown, living beneath the surface,

The Foehammers use a pattern of silver and red armor plates

Battle Brother

hardened by both the environment as well as the constant vigilance, making Wardhaven into a fortress world guarding the system.

History

W

ith the return of the storms saw a return of the siege of the system. Protected from the warp directly by unknown means (though the Mechanicus suspects the numerous obsidian obelisks and ruins scattered through the system may play a part), Chaotic forces still manifest and attempt to break into the bastion of Imperial Faith. Cut off from outside help, the forces within the system were forced to work far more closely together than would be traditional, forming bonds of trust unheard of in the outside Imperium. An expedition was sent back to Mars with copies of the data and a gene-seed tithe, but by then the Foehammers had come to think of the system as home and intended to guard it fiercely. In between intermittent Warp storms which would periodically isolate the system, the other chapters near the Malestrom attempted to build ties with the Foehammers, but the siege mentality of Groombridge meant the inhabitants of the system were suspicious of outsiders, and even the persistent Astral Claws were rebuffed. In return, the close ties with the Mechanicus caused most other chapters to distrust the Foehammers in return, barring the Iron Hands and their sucessors who were of a similar nature, and the Salamanders whom the Foehammers had retained the values of.

During the Age of Apostasy that began shortly after the Foehammers settled on Wardhaven, warp storms again isolated the system, a few of the many Vandire tracked, waiting for systems to be revealed so he could recruit them or destroy them. Unfortunately, he was preempted by the Storm of the Emperor's Wrath, which destroyed his major fleet and cleared the warp for Sebastion Thor to make his Crusade. Finally able to leave the system, an expedition was sent back to Mars with copies of the data and a gene-seed tithe. Learning of what had happened, the company of Foehammers that had returned to Mars to escort the convoy offered their services to the Confederation of Light and Fabricator General Gastaph Hedriatix. He tasked the company and their strike cruiser Adamant with guarding the Sol system from Frateris ships attempting to return and fight for Vandire. The Adamant preformed well, destroying a troop convoy of Vandire's troops and engaging a Frateris cruiser and several destroyers. Meanwhile on Terra, Vandire was killed and the civil war over. Having made their delivery to Mars, the Foehammers returned to Wardhaven with the Chapter's first battle honors.

Over the next several millennium, the Foehammers fortified the Groombridge system, riding out the various warp storms which isolated them, and sending out expeditions to seek resources. The First Battalion became the public face of the chapter, based on the Battlebarge Doombringer. The location of the Groombridge system and chapter keep was guarded carefully, to limit the possibility of outsiders travelling to Wardhaven and Westinghouse. Many came to believe that the Foehammers were a fleet based chapter, a rumor that was not denied. The chapter participated in a number of crusades and campaigns, but were often distrusted by other chapters for their tendency to "pick over the battlefields like Kroot" after combat and salvage what they could. Members of the chapter fought in both the Macharian Crusade and the Heresy that followed, as well as a number of operations in the Helican subsector.

888 M41 saw the beginning of several direct threats to Groombridge, resulting in a recall the First Battalion and as many other expeditions as possible. The Black Templars and their Crusade of Wrath pushed uncomfortable close to the system, and drove warbands of the Word Bearers into the Maelstrom where they joined up with the renegades who long hoped to claim the valuable prize. Led by the Dark Apostle Goras, who pushed into the system and even landed a small strike force on Wardhaven's surface. Fierce resistance drove him off, and the return of the First Battalion broke the warband and cleared the system for the time being.

A mere 13 years later, in 901 M41, saw the Foehammer's home again threatened. Huron Blackheart, who had long attempted to make an ally of the Chapter, led his Astral Claws in revolt against the Imperium. Within two years, three more chapters joined Blackheart in rebellion and preyed on Imperial shipping in the region. No ships bound for Groombridge were captured, but a vessel of the Fire Hawks chapter is, drawing them into the conflict. A number of other chapters became involved in the conflict, including the Salamanders. While fighting against another push by Goras, the Foehammers provided charts of the Maelstrom to the Salamanders, allowing the Loyalists to push into the region, trapping and eventually defeating the rebels. Blackheart led a band of survivors which he renamed the Red Corsairs, who would merge the various warbands in the Maelstrom into one force. He recruited Goras who attempted to make another push into the system, but a strike group of Grey Knights (making their usual inspection of the system for taint) help repulse the assault after Goras is killed by Grand Master Marticar in single combat.

Most recently, the siege of Groombridge was mostly lifted as the Red Corsairs pulled back a majority of the renegades in the region and left the Maelstrom in force to raid the Chogoris, Kaelas, and Sessec systems. The Foehammers have responded by dispatching task forces to assist those worlds.

Organization

D

ue to the unusual nature of the 13th Founding, the Mechanicus began creating the gene-seed and supplies for the chapters they were creating. Without a parent chapter overseeing the process from the start, the Mechanicus simply followed the Codex Astartes in organizing the new units. Tu'Scart and a cadre of veterans were brought in later in the process to train the new chapter, and simply left the organization how it was. The Foehammers remained a strictly codex chapter for several hundred years fighting in Groombridge caused it to evolve slightly.

Constant warfare and a relatively low casualty rate resulted in large numbers of marines who could be considered veterans, and supplies from nearby Westinghouse meant they could be supplied as such. Seeing no need to limit the number or quality of veteran troops, Chapter Master Brody began a reorganization. He kept the concept of ten companies, but adopted a number of ideas from the Guard forces they fought alongside. The scouts and new inductees were stripped out of the formation and made into an auxiliary group. Reserve companies were integrated into standard combat forces, resulting in nine complete battle companies. Three of these batle companies were upgrades to veteran unit, while the existing First Company was given sole access to the Chapters stockpile of Terminator armor (barring officers and a handful of others).

Rather than ten captains and a chapter master, the chapter was sorted into more distinct units, with a wider range of officers and a clear chain of command. The nine battle companies (three of which were considered veterans) with their captains were grouped into three battalions led by a commander. Each company was sub-divided into three platoons led by a lieutenant. Each platoon was made up of about thirty men, organized into three squads (barring a handful of specialist squads which had either less or more men and were grouped into platoons accordingly). The leftover squad of troops was assigned directly to the company captain and his command squad.

Mjöllnir company

Between slow production and salvaging battlefields, the chapter has a stockpile of tactical dreadnought armor to rival even the Dark Angels. The entire first company wears the mighty suits, forming an elite core of warriors. These warriors are dispatched to support ongoing missions, in groups ranging from individuals to full squads. Only officers and a handful of others are allowed to wear Terminator armor besides the veterans of Mjöllnir.

The new force organization reflected that the chapter frequently attached troops to Guard units for long periods of time. While officially independent from the Guard and PDF within the system, the various forces formed a joint command within the system to coordinate efforts. The additional ranks and units Brody created allowed the Foehammers to be slotted into the defense much more easily. Planners simply treated the Foehammers as a superheavy tank unit of similar size. The Foehammers have grown used to operating as part of a combined arms force, a fact which makes some in the Imperium nervous. On the handful of occasions when confronted about the issue, the Foehammers simply point to the Ultramar PDF and how they operate alongside the Ultramarines. It is also pointed out that the joint command is a shared force, with the Astartes, Guard, PDF and other participating units senior officers forming a ruling council. Officially, single officer has direct control of the entire combined forces.

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Over time, the battalions have differentiated between one another. It has fallen to the First to undertake a majority of the missions outside the system, leading them to adopt different practices from the other two battalions. The First prefers a more aggressive approach, with close combat emphasized more than in the rest of the chapter, as well as a more individualistic take on wargear. On occasion, their ways of battle resemble those of the fearsome Space Wolves rather than warriors of Gullimans Codex. Several traits also mark the First as distinct within the chapter. While the first company of the battalion is made up of veterans, the other two include a fairly large proportion of newly inducted warriors, just graduated into Power Armor. Sending them on expeditions is seen as an effective method to season the neophytes before they are entrusted with the vital defense of the home system. Lacking the combined arms support of the Groombridge Defense Force and the Mechanicus Legions, the First Battalion also includes a massive complement of Devastators.

Second and Third Battalions are more codex in structure. Each has one company of Veterans, and two standard companies. Among the veterans of these companies, Sternguard doctrine is highly favored, as defense is more important than the assault focus of Vanguard. The standard Companies are broken down into platoons just like the those of the First Battalion. Second Battalion (made up of fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Companies) follows the Codex precisely, with one veteran and two battle companies. Third Battalion is home to various specialists, however, with one veteran company (Seventh), one company made up entirely of assault marines (Eighth), and the third including the chapters relative handful of bikes (Ninth).

Recent inductees into the Chapter who are still limited to carapace armor are not officially assigned to any company. Overseen by a handful of veterans, they make up roughly an eleventh company, and are assigned by squad as needed. Some inductees become focused on the scouting role and specialize in it, becoming either trainers for future generations or scout veterans assigned to First Battalion.

Standard colors for the chapters suits of Terminator Armor

Mjöllnir Company Terminator

Each company also has a dedicated technical branch, made up of around a dozen tech-marines and scores of tech adepts and servitors. Adepts are drawn from those battle brothers who show an aptitude for technology, and are marked out by tan robes or tabards when fighting with their units. Other adepts are responsable for crewing the chapters vehicles and maintaining the chapter armory. The creation of new equipment and reconsecration of salvaged materiel is overseen by the Chapter Forge, lead by the Forgemaster and staffed with over a hundred more tech-marines and adepts, as well as countless servitors.

Combat Doctrines

Oath of Battle

We stand strong against the Darkness!
We stand alone against the Night!
We stand vigilant against Intruders!
We stand mighty within the Light!
We stand for Groombridge!
We stand for the Imperium!
We stand for Victory!

---

The Oath of Battle is taken
by all troops before entering
combat. It is led by the chapter
officers and echoed by all under
his command.

T

he chapter is split into two major factions with regards to combat doctrine as a result of specialization. The Second and Third Battalions serve roughly 3/4 of the time within the system, focusing primarily on defense against intruders. Working closely with the other forces within the system, they have a greater respect for combined arms operations, and tend to be more cooperative with non-Astartes forces than most other chapters. These two battalions prefer to fight relatively defensively, forming an unbreakable rock against the enemy and destroying them with overwhelming firepower.
The First Battalion is far more aggressive, spending most their time on expeditions in the galaxy at large. Their role is to strike hard and fast, and move on to the next battle. Besides maintaining the oaths and alliances the Chapter has made with other groups, the First has the role of recovering resources and salvaging equipment damaged or lost in combat. Fighting like a typical Astartes force, after the First Battalion has smashed the enemy, it will scour the warzone and collect as many resources as it can, transferring them to the numerous bulk haulers that accompany their task forces. Once full, these haulers return to Groombridge, adding the spoils to the system's armories and forges. Even equipment from other Chapters is claimed from the battlefield to be repaired and reconsecrated and added to the Foehammer armory. Efforts are made to return relics and materiel to a few organizations, primarily the Inquisition and Astartes chapters belonging to Salamanders and Iron Hands gene-stock. Most other chapters are simply out of luck, unless they are actually present during the salvage operation. The discovery of reconsecrated armor in the hands of the Foehammers has led to a number of grudges with other chapters, but the Foehammers rarely care. They will fight alone if needed, as they do to defend their home.

Beliefs

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T

he Foehammers are highly possessive and protective, as a result of their home system being cut off from the galaxy on a fairly regular basis. They attempt to hoard resources and send them back to Groombridge for times where they cannot leave the system and must rely on these stockpiles for defense. Limited supplies also mean a focus on quality of wargear over quantity, with high craftsmanship. Artificer armor and master crafting is common. Lives can be lost, but their wargear and gene-seed will endure. This focus on forgecraft is part of the legacy from the chapter's founding under the Salamander Tu'Scart.

The other lesson learned from Tu'Scart was respect for humanity. The Foehammers see themselves as defenders of the Imperium in general, and the Groombridge system in specific. On occasions, sacrifices will be necessary, but where possible, the Foehammers take measures to save as many lives as they can.
This assumed duty to protect the system however has combined with the siege mentality to make the Chapter and even the other inhabitants within the system deeply suspicious of outsiders. There is little tolerance for interferance in their affairs, believing that as long as they pay their tithes (including backlogs when the system is cut off) that they should just be left alone. This belief is particularly frustrating to the Ecclesiarchy, especially since they see the Mechanicus Cult of Omnissiah within the system to be a rival. Even the Inquisition tends to tread lightly, as the system is home to both a Mechanicus Forgeworld and a Chapter Keep, which combined complicate the division of power enough to discourage anyone from prying too close for fear of angering either the Mechanicus or the Astartes elsewhere.

The one major concession the Chapter made was to the Grey Knights. In return for allowing them to do regular inspections of the system for Chaotic taint or corruption. In return, the Foehammers were allowed to study a set of the Grey Knights precious Aegis armor. The Forgemasters took the lessons they learned from the examination and began to integrate anti-chaotic wards into the most precious sets of artificer armor. Pale imitations of proper Aegis suits, the wards nonetheless provide a measure

Foehammer officers are marked out by gold trim, while
their second in command is trimmed in white

Officer in Power Armor

of protection against sorcery or beings of the warp. A small but growing number of Foehammers officers have begun to believe that Chaos should not merely be guarded against, but sought out and destroyed as the Grey Knights do. A small number have even gone on to serve tours in the retinues of Ordo Malleus Inquisitors.

---

I finally decided to post this. Stupid formatting keeps changing on me though. It looks fine to me now, but if it looks odd to anyone, let me know.

[bjorn irongaze]

i like this nice chapter that i would be proud of

[Ace Debonair]

That's pretty cool.

 

The only question I have is in the large numbers of Terminators, though.

Does there really have to be so many?

 

Don't get me wrong, Terminators are awesome, and the mental image of a hundred terminators marching all over the poor, hapless enemy is an appealing one.

I'm just not sure it'd be so easy as salvaging battlefields to get your stocks up to that much. It might be better to cut the number by half, or maybe even more - save them for the elite of the elite, perhaps.

 

I really like the homeworld stuff. I'm kicking myself for not coming up with your idea first. :lol:

 

I'm also wondering about the chapter organisation. Neither the Salamanders or the Iron Hands, unless I'm mistaken, are codex chapters in their organisation. Is there any particular reason why the Foehammers resort to having ten companies?

 

All in all, so far, so good. Very cool chapter you have here. :D

[MajorWesJanson]

The real reason for the full company of Terminators is that I have 70 Terminator models at the moment, and felt like building them up to a full company :lol:

Fluffwise, the do salvage the occasional suit and make efforts to recover their losses, but they sit right next to a Forge World they have close ties to, and thus tend to get a few more suits per production run than usual.

 

On the organization, once I get the Order of Battle finalized, I'll put it up too. It works out as 10 companies (not counting a scout/training company) to keep it roughly chapter sized, but the Companies are each organized differently from the Codex Battle Company plus Reserves company format. Each company has a second officer and command branch, plus three platoons of roughly three squads led by Lieutenants. For example, Sixth company looks like this currently:

 

Sixth Company: Lord Captain (Vulkan)

Command Element: Lieutenant (Captain)

Command Squad: Sergeant (5 man Command Squad)

Guardian Squad: (10 man Devastator Squad)

First Platoon: Lieutenant (Captain)

Tactical Squad: Sergeant (10 man Tactical Squad)

Tactical Squad: Sergeant (10 man Tactical Squad)

Tactical Squad: Sergeant (10 man Tactical Squad)

Second Platoon: Lieutenant (Captain)

Tactical Squad: Sergeant (10 man Tactical Squad)

Tactical Squad: Sergeant (10 man Tactical Squad)

Tactical Squad: Sergeant (10 man Tactical Squad)

Third Platoon: Lieutenant (Captain)

Tactical Squad: Sergeant (10 man Assault Squad)

Tactical Squad: Sergeant (10 man Assault Squad)

Tactical Squad: Sergeant (10 man Devastator Squad)

Technical Staff: Forge Lord (Master of the Forge)

(10 Techmarines)

(10 Apprentice Adepts)

(20 Servitors)

 

Parenthesis indicate what each model or unit consists of in the codex. Again, some of the reasons for the organization are because I like the Battle Company formation, and want to be able to field it on occasion (with some extra officer models)

 

 

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

[Ace Debonair]

I hadn't thought of it like that.

 

I suppose after years of watching their back for them, the local forgeworld might indeed be quite amicable to the Foehammers.

 

The organisation section for an IA only needs to be a summary, rather than a full list.

 

For example, the summary you've given of the chapter's organisation is a great start - just add why they deviate from the two chapters who have had such an influence on them in the areas that they deviate, and you've got yourself one fairly solid organisation section, ready to go! ;)

 

If I might make a suggestion, you could have them adopt the codex format of ten companies on the simple basis that it works for almost every other chapter out there. <_<

Feel free to ignore this idea at your leisure, you can probably do something better.

[MajorWesJanson]

Good point. I think I can do that without killing the formatting :D

 

The full Order of Battle is handy because I can plug the models I have into it and figure out who belongs where :D

[Dazzo]

Is that the chapter symbol, and what about other markings?

[MajorWesJanson]

Yes, that is the chapter symbol. Next revision I'll add an insignia section and some of the battles they have fought in. Maybe a bit about some of the characters too.

 

There's also got to be a better way to format the thing, as the BB code with the picture captions is not working all that well. Maybe just add the captions to the pictures directly in photoshop.

[Philip S]

That chapter badge would look better reversed: when applied to the armour the thunderbolt will be pointing 'forward', and when viewed from the front (as in the painter image) the pointy end of the bolt would be easier to read.

 

What do you think?

 

Philip

[Heru]

That chapter badge would look better reversed: when applied to the armour the thunderbolt will be pointing 'forward', and when viewed from the front (as in the painter image) the pointy end of the bolt would be easier to read.

 

What do you think?

 

Philip

I think you necro'ed a thread that has been dead since Oct... :sweat:

[Philip S]

I think you necro'ed a thread that has been dead since Oct... :)

I got here from a thread I posted on Warseer (Updating the '1,000 Space Marine Chapter Project' - submit your DIY Chapter) - which is yielding some interesting results like the 'Space Beavers' (Dr.Mercury is actually painting up an army - they have big beaver teeth!). I suppose I could include them, I did post the Emperor's Pointy Sticks B)

 

Philip

[Philip S]

@ MajorWesJanson - I've updated the image for the 1,000 chapter project and thought you may like a copy;

?

Philip